Dilli Gupshup: What was Modi thinking?

Vajpayee, who?

The Bharatiya Janata Party meeting on the media had the self-styled Pradhan Mantri-in-waiting teaching BJP spokespersons the finer points of briefing journalists, television appearances, talking points etc.

After all, before he moved to Gandhinagar way back in 2001, Narendra Modi was the news television channels's best friend, the go-to-talking-head.

A poster with Modi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani at the session drew comment among some participants.

Some BJP spokespersons were seen pointing out the order of faces on the poster -- Modi followed by Vajpayee and then Advani.

Earlier, photographs of national and local leaders were inserted between Vajpayee and Advani on BJP posters.

Modi's Weak Link

Narendra Modi may have set his eyes on Delhi, but Delhi continues to be the I-so-badly-want-to-be PM's weakest link.

The assembly election in the national capital is due in three months, but the BJP has not yet got its act together.

Now, there is a possibility that Chief Minister Sheila Dixit may save her turf, ironically due to her bitter adversary Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party.

The Modi camp would like Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel -- who wants the party to project L K Advani as its prime ministerial nominee -- to be replaced by Harsh Vardhan as other possibilities -- like projecting Kiran Bedi and Ravi Shankar Prasad as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for Delhi -- have receded.

But Goel's supporters point out former Delhi health minister Harsh Vardhan’s rather lack-lustre performance as the BJP chief for three consecutive terms when Dixit gained control over the capital.

Anything-for-Publicity-Paswan

RRam Vilas Paswan, who adores publicity, was in confession mode in the Rajya Sabha recently.

Paswan demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation for soldiers martyred at the Line of Control.

The former Union minister felt if sportspersons could get Rs 1 crore as prizes for their performances, why could not soldiers, who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the country, be honoured similarly?

Then, Paswan remarked candidly, "I had made this demand before, but it was not published in the media, therefore I am reiterating it." :))